By Wan Tze Lee -

If you are arrested and being charged with DUI offense, there are a few potential consequences which you might end up with at the end of the day – huge fines, suspended driving license, imprisonment, or in some cases, a combinations of the above stated. DUI conviction may ruin one’s life by having sentenced to jail for couples of years, crippling one’s career path for not many companies out there are willing to employ ex-convict, lose of close friends and family members, restricting one’s ability to drive and lose of self-esteem in the long run.

Considering all the potential DUI penalties and punishments which you might face, DUI offenses can be very traumatic and distressing, and it is way too costly a price for anyone of us to be charged with. A critical DUI charge may cost you, your entire life therefore please avoid driving if you are drinking, to avoid any DUI offenses in the first place.

Should anyone needs to face the DUI charges in reality, the first thing will be to urgently search for an experienced and skillful DUI lawyer in the state where you have been arrested with DUI offense. Make sure that the attorney is well verse with the DUI law in that specific state This is crucial as different states have their own sets of DUI law to be adhered to. Hiring a DUI attorney for your drunk -driving case does not imply that you will be freed from the charges completely, but it is the best approach for anyone who wished to plea bargain for a less severe penalty and a shorter jail sentence from the court, and it is also the only opportunity for one to challenge for the DUI arrest.

Here are some key advices which the experienced DUI attorney would recommend to you in facing with DUI charges -

a. You need to understand and be well aware of your rights to remain silent during the entire DUI caption incident. You should answer those questions asked or to provide your statement to the police only when your appointed DUI lawyer is there with you. This is to avoid what you have said or shared to be used against you instead in the court later.

b. If you are stopped by any police officer with the suspicion of a potential DUI, you will have to cooperate with them. Any potential arguements will only bring negative influence to your prosecution later on. Then make an effort to schedule for an appointment for your DUI court hearing within the next 10 days after the arrest.

c. During the caption, as your driving license will be confiscated, the police officer will issue you a temporary paper license which will be valid for the next 30 days only. As of how long will your license be revoked will be depending on the severity of your offense and also if you are a first-time DUI convict or otherwise.

d. In some states, there is a policy which requires any potential DUI convict to go through another session of hearing by the DUI juries before you are allowed to get your license back, while in some states, it is compulsory for the convicts to attend the DUI refresher classes which have been arranged by the DUI legal councils.

In summary, being arrested for DUI implies more serious implications than you would ever imagined of as it may ruin your family and entire future if you are convicted with a serious DUI offense such as fatal death or serious injury of a third party. Therefore, the best thing that you can do for yourself is to avoid this problem from the very beginning. If you have been drinking, or under any specific drugs, don’t get yourself behind those wheels at all!

To find a DUI lawyer to represent your drunk driving legal case, visit http://Ga-DUI-Attorney.com/.

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By Shelley Cantrelle -

Thanks to Arizona’s new drunk driving laws, even first time offenders could land themselves in prison. Effective October 2007, the state’s driving under the influence (DUI) laws are recognized as the harshest in the nation.

Although Governor Janet Napolitano signed the bill into law after it was approved overwhelmingly in the House and Senate. However, it was met with some resistance. Opponents felt it unfairly penalized those who were otherwise responsible citizens.

One of the most significant changes is the mandatory 45 day jail sentence for first timers that are found to have a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit or higher. The current limit is .08%. The new laws classify them as “super extreme” offenders when chemical tests reveal a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of .20% or more. Incidentally, refusing to submit to the test, whether convicted or not, results in an automatic one year license suspension.

As tough as that seems, jail time is only the beginning. The newly convicted “super extreme” drunk drivers will be required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle. At one time, only repeat offenders were required to have it installed.

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, this mandatory piece of equipment is designed to connect a breath analyzer to a motor vehicle’s ignition system.

The ignition interlock system, referred to as an IID, will only allow the vehicle to start if the monitor shows the blood alcohol concentration to be below a predetermined and preset level. The ignition is simply disabled if the reading exceeds the specified number.

The IID must be installed and in use for a minimum of twelve months after the DUI conviction and judges have no authority to waive or reduce that period of time. They can, however, order additional time for the device to remain in use.

Because the penalties are so stiff, Arizona attorneys are gearing up to defend more first time offenders in court. Prior to last year, clients didn’t necessarily face jail time, especially for a first offense. They were usually told to expect warnings, fines and probation, or what amounted to little more than a slap on the wrist. Now they expect many will want to present a challenge rather than automatically plead guilty or no contest.

The new law is also written to expedite the whole DUI process for law enforcement. It allows the Motor Vehicle Department to examine their own records for previous DUI offenses. Rather than waiting for the courts to send them, they can now effectively cut through the red tape and reduce turnaround time.

It’s a sobering thought for many Arizona residents and rightfully so. In 2006, there were 315 lives lost and over 59,000 injuries as a result of alcohol related crashes. The economic loss is estimated at upwards of $547 million. Those statistics and the new laws should make anyone think twice before driving and drinking.

Source:

http://www.azdot.gov

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Arizonas-New-DUI-Laws&id=1280824

By Renz Ariane Soriano -

You are about to read the section in which you will get significant facts to realize and think through. We will be talking more on drunken driving cases or the so-called DUI or driving under the influence. Alcohol DUI is, in fact, the main cause why a number of accident cases have become gruesome. Moreover, alcohol DUI often leads to severe injuries and even death. Drivers must be aware of the alarming facts about DUI cases.

Alcoholism has turned out to be a major social problem nowadays. You just have to know that alcohol beverages are suppressants that sedate nervous system suppressive. Alcohol consumption is a factor that affects the state of mind of a person and ghastly affects the ability of the person to drive. He can drive but to the extent, that he or she cannot control it the normal way. Therefore, there will be a tendency that an accident can happen.

A rule in every state enforces a legal limit against a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.08% or higher. Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) and Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) are measured. BAC and BAL measure the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood. A BAC of 0.1 means that 1/1000 of the fluid in the blood is alcohol.

Rule concerning BAC and BAL vary from one state to another. It is illegal to drive your motor vehicle when your BAC is 0.1 or higher. In most states, the legal limit for BAC is 0.05 and in some states, the legal limit is 0.08.

The effect of excessive alcohol in your body is obvious enough to alter the way you walk or the coordination as well as your mind. Your vision will be sluggish, as well as your hearing, reaction time, speed, distance and movement will be seriously impaired and compromised.

The rule regarding the age limit to drive legally is 21. It is recognize as the legal drinking age. Alcohol-related traffic crashes and accidents kill more minors or the young people between 16 to 24 years of age than any other single cause. It is illegal and a serious crime for anyone under the age of 21 to drink alcohol and drive. Anyone below 21 years old found driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.01 percent or higher will spontaneously lose their driving privilege for one year. In cases like, minors found driving with alcohol in their body and no driver’s license yet, will prohibit them from applying for a driver’s license for one year.

Court of law oftentimes inflicts alcohol DUI education to offenders as a means to help get their lives back on track. You can prevent suspension of driver’s license by attending alcohol DUI programs and it could help reduce your penalties. Attending alcohol DUI education courses is not just a great way to lessen a DUI charge conviction but it also often brings a long-term solution to one’s alcohol problem.

http://alcoholdui.org/

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Drunken-Driving-Facts-on-Alcohol-DUI&id=4383042

By David S Caldwell -

Drunk driving can lead to serious automobile collisions, life-threatening injuries, and death. Intoxicated drivers who irresponsibly choose to drive drunk, rather than finding safer ways of getting home, can cause years of anguish for themselves, but also for others. Victims of automobile accidents caused by an intoxicated driver may see their lives torn apart by another person’s negligent actions.

The actions of intoxicated drivers can lead to accidents in a number of ways. Drivers who are under the influence may exhibit excessively aggressive or confrontational behavior behind the wheel. Drunk driving can impair a driver’s ability to judge speed, timing, and distance. It can lead to dangerous driving behaviors such as failure to use turn signals, drifting, and failure to notice other vehicles or pedestrians on the roadway.

People who are convicted of DUI can face thousands of dollars in fines, months or years without a driver’s license, and years of probation. After the convicted person is able to drive again, the court may even require breathalyzer interlock devices in their vehicles, which prevents the vehicle from starting unless the person’s blood alcohol content is below a set limit.

For the victims of drunk driving accidents, the consequences of another person’s reckless behavior can be extreme and wide-ranging. While a driver guilty of DUI may face stiff legal penalties, that is nothing compared to the suffering of their victims. Serious injuries and deaths caused by DUI are always preventable, if only the drunk driver had been responsible enough to hire a taxi or find other means of returning home safely.

Drunk drivers, even if their actions cause other people to sustain serious injuries, may not always face criminal charges for the impact of their decision on another person’s life. Victims of drunk drivers have the right to take legal action to seek compensation for their medical expenses, losses, and suffering.

For more information on topics related to personal injury and car accident law, visit the website of the Des Moines drunk driving accident lawyers of LaMarca & Landry, P.C.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Causes-and-Consequences-of-Drunk-Driving-Accidents&id=4698242

By Cias Hart -

Receiving a DUI conviction is, without a doubt, a low point for many people. Possible fines, license revocations, and other penalties can have a serious impact on the convicted person’s lifestyle. Still, it is not the end of the road. These penalties’ impact will fade with time, until their life is back to normal.

The first impact people feel from a DUI charge or conviction is a revocation of their driving privileges. Since many working professionals rely on their car exclusively for transport, now being reliant on another person or on public transportation can be quite a shift. This is, of course, temporary however. Most DUI license revocations last a year as long as the person pays their fines on time. By that time, they may be appreciating the amount they save on insurance and gas money!

Another detrimental effect on a person convicted of a DUI is the financial one. The fines for a single DUI, to include costs of mandatory rehabilitation, can be upwards of $10,000. Some people go into debt over a DUI conviction, leading to a failure to pay fines and further penalties. If the fines are manageable, the insurance increase will most likely not be. Insurance premiums can rise 300-400% immediately after a DUI, making the cost of driving almost if not prohibitive. Luckily, like an accident this will fade over time. Most insurance companies ask if a person has had a DUI within five years, after which time they are treated as a minor infraction. After ten years, most of the time a DUI is considered yesterday’s news by all concerned parties.

The criminal aspect of a DUI can be a little trickier. Most jobs ask on application whether or not a person has been convicted of a crime; a DUI is, unfortunately for them, a crime. Many times employers understand of a DUI, however. Even most police departments will accept an applicant with a DUI as long as a certain amount of time has elapsed. Like the insurance issue, time heals this wound, and the person will be employable before long.

One way to alleviate some of these potential consequences, aside from not drinking and driving, is to hire a DUI attorney. A DUI lawyer on retainer is a great asset in case you are accused of or charged with a DUI. They will speak to the police on your behalf in many cases, and if you are arrested and charged they can negotiate with the prosecution on your behalf to reduce the sentence. Any improprieties by the police that your lawyer can identify may result in a dismissal of charge. In short, don’t skip the step of hiring a DUI attorney, particularly if you are already in hot water!

Cias Hart is a veteran and resident of Arizona. If you’ve been charged with a DUI in the greater metro area, contact a Phoenix DUI attorney today. A Phoenix DUI lawyer will represent you in court and defend your rights. A licensed, experienced attorney can make the difference between a successful rebound from a DUI and a mark which lasts for much longer. Drive safe!

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http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Effects-of-a-DUI-Fade-With-Time&id=5435167

Arizona DUI Extreme Vs Super Extreme DUI Fines – Incarceration and Other Penalties
By James Novak

Arizona has many different levels of DUI charges including “Extreme DUI” and “Super Extreme DUI.” Both of these Arizona DUI offenses are higher charges in relation to the range penalties associated with an Arizona Misdemeanor DUI offense. These or any DUI, for that matter in Arizona are very serious offenses.

First a word of caution…you should think twice before you decide to defend your DUI charges on your own. Arizona has the toughest DUI laws in the country and they are constantly changing. You should consult a well versed, experienced Arizona DUI Defense Attorney to defend your DUI charges. Currently the following explains differences between penalties including fines, fees, incarceration and other punishments associated with the two:

Arizona Extreme DUI

Getting charged with an extreme DUI in Phoenix or anywhere in Arizona you will face charges if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.15% or greater. At this point, the driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle is severely compromised.

A first time Arizona Extreme is punishable by:

• A 90-day driver’s license suspension

• Up to 5 years probation

• 30 to 180 days in jail

• Fines and fees

• Mandatory participation in an alcohol treatment program

• Installation of an ignition interlock device in any car that you drive

A second Arizona Extreme conviction will result in even greater penalties, including:

• A 1-year driver’s license revocation

• Up to 5 years probation

• 60 days jail, 280 days total

• Fines and fees

• Mandatory participation in an alcohol treatment program

• Installation of an ignition interlock device in any car that you drive

Arizona Super Extreme DUI

In Arizona you will get a Super Extreme charge if you are found operating a vehicle with a BAC level of 0.20% or greater. This is the most serious misdemeanor Arizona DUI. A conviction results in much higher penalties, including:

• Driver’s license suspension/revocation

• Up to 5 years probation

• 45 days to 180 days in jail

• Fines and fees

• Mandatory participation in an alcohol treatment program

• Installation of an ignition interlock device for 18 months

If you have received a second Super Extreme, the penalties will be even greater including a mandatory 180 days in jail.

Contact a Phoenix DUI Attorney If you have been charged with an Arizona Extreme DUI or Arizona Super Extreme DUI in Phoenix or any of the surrounding areas in including your Tempe DUI, Scottsdale DUI, Chandler DUI, Gilbert DUI, or Mesa DUI, call today to speak with an Arizona DUI attorney immediately. You will need an experienced Phoenix DUI lawyer, like James Novak, from the Law Office of James Novak to defend you against your Phoenix Arizona DUI charges. James Novak will fight to protect your future and your freedom! For your FREE Consultation, contact James Novak today at (480) 413-1499!

James Novak, Attorney at Law
Law Office of James Novak
Arizona Criminal & DUI Defense Firm

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Arizona-DUI-Extreme-Vs-Super-Extreme-DUI-Fines—Incarceration-and-Other-Penalties&id=3802381

By Courtney Frazier -

You feel like you have been here before. You’ve made few mistakes in the past, and the two previous DUI convictions were challenging to deal with. Once you have been convicted of a first DUI offense, the penalties become increasingly steep. While the law is more lenient toward first time offenders, as your charges accumulate the judges are less and less likely to be forgiving.

In Arizona, while most drunk driving charges are misdemeanors, after your third DUI within seven years, the charge is considered a felony, regardless of the level of your blood alcohol content. The penalties are harsh, including:

• Being charged with a class four felony
• A minimum prison sentence of four months, which could be greater, depending on your individual factors
• Fines can be levied in excess of several thousand dollars, depending on your violations
• Revocation of your drivers’ license for three years
• If you receive probation, you will likely have to attend and pay for counseling and treatment sessions
• After your release, you could be placed on probation for up to five additional years
• If you are the owner of the car you were driving when you were arrested for drunk driving, the court may seize your vehicle from you

It is important to note that if you have any sort of additional criminal history, other than your previous DUI convictions, some of these penalties may be assessed more harshly, including the imposition of a longer jail term if the court finds appropriate.

If you have been charged with a felony DUI in Arizona, it is imperative to hire an experienced DUI attorney to represent you. A DUI lawyer in Phoenix can explain to you what to expect from the local court system in light of the serious nature of the charges, plan a strategy to fight for your rights, and assist you in obtaining the best possible outcome. Some ways in which an experienced DUI lawyer in Arizona can help include:

• Getting inadmissible evidence thrown out
• Looking for any violation of your constitutional rights
• Inquiring into the arresting officer’s background and experience
• Questioning whether probable cause for the initial stop existed
• Asking about the officer’s reasonable suspicion that led him to pull you over
• Finding errors in the blood alcohol testing methods and procedures

By making sure you have someone to help you tell your side of the story, you increase your chances of success and make a positive resolution to your DUI charges. Remember, Arizona has some of the strictest DUI laws on record, so make sure you take the charges seriously and protect your rights.

For more information on finding a DUI lawyer in Phoenix, visit DUI Lawyer Phoenix to connect with experienced attorneys who will help defend your rights.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Third-Time-Around—Felony-DUI-Penalties-in-Arizona&id=5039566